Windows 7 is apparently going to be released by mid-2009, just about the time that Vista gets all the bugs worked out and people get used to using it. Wonderful. As a disclaimer, I use Windows Vista on a Sony VAIO notebook so I’m not cutting down Vista for the sake of cutting down Vista. I use it every day and I’m not happy with it.
There’s reportedly already an early evaluation version of Windows 7 floating around that’s been given to hardware manufacturers. It’s the first of three “milestone” builds. The second milestone should happen in April or May of this year, while the third milestone is supposed to come along sometime thereafter in the third quarter.
If a new version of Windows actually comes out in 2009 without getting delayed at least a year, I’ll be surprised. So will the hardware vendors, businesses, and end-users who have had to put up with Vista’s growing pains, although they’ll be surprised in a more angry-surprised way.
Vista successor, Windows 7 to be released next year? [APC Magazine] via Slashdot